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Sightseeing
- Agra
Taj Mahal........
Visit the world famous Taj Mahal built by the Mughal
Emperor Shahjahan in 1630 for his Queen Mumtaz Mahal to enshrine her mortal
remains. The construction is believed to have taken 22 years to complete with
over 20,000 craftsmen working round the clock.
Agra
once the capital of Mughal Empire during the 16th and early 18th centuries,is
two and a half hours by express train from New Delhi. This most famous Mughal
Monument was constructed by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz
Mahal, th'lady of the Taj'. It has been described as the most extravagant
monument ever built for love for the emperor was heartbroken when Mumtaz, to
whom he had married for 17 years, died in 1629 in childbirth, after producing 14
children. Construction of Taj began in 1631 and was not completed until 1653.
Workers were not recruited only from all over India but also from central Asia
and in total 20,000 people worked on the building. Experts were even brought
from as far away as Europe - The Frenchman Austin of Bordeaux and the
Italian Veroneo if Venice had a hand in its decoration.
Open: 7 A.M. to 6
P.M.
Within
a radius of 3 kilometers, on the banks of the river Yamuna, rises the crescent
like Agra Fort. Designed and built by Akbar in 1565 A.D., the fort is surrounded
by a 70 feet high wall. It houses the beautiful Pearl Mosque and numerous
palaces including the Jahangir Mahal, Diwan-i-Khas, Diwan-i-Am and Moti Masjid.
Later it was used by his son Jehangir also as the seat of power. Shahjahan
modeled his creation, the Red Fort at Delhi on this fort. The Agra fort happens
to be on the same bank of the river Yamuna as the Taj Mahal which is visible in
all its beauty from one side of the fort. So very ironically, Shahjahan, a
prisoner of his son Aurangzeb in his old age was put in a cell from where he
could gaze at the Taj Mahal at a distance, from his cell in the Agra Fort.
The fort has four gates and is enclosed by a double barricaded wall of red sand
stone. Many buildings were constructed within the fort of which very few remain
till date. One of the most significant ones is the multi storied Jahangir Mahal
built by Akbar for his wife Jodha Bai.
The Mahal is reached through an impressive gateway and its inner courtyard
consists of beautiful halls, profuse carvings on stone, exquisitely carved heavy
brackets, piers and cross beams.
Open: 7 A.M. to 6 P.M.
Fatehpur
Sikri - The City of Victory
37
kms from the city of Agra, stands Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar’s capital. Full credit
goes to the Archeological Survey of India for this perfectly preserved example
of a Mughal city at the height of the empire’s splendour. It is an attraction
no visitor to Agra should miss. This sprawling structure is made of red
sandstone and combines both Hindu and Mughal architecture.This walled city
contains the mausoleum of the Sufi fakir, Saleem Chisti who is said to have
granted Akbar and his Hindu queen Jodhabai their wish for a son. The main
entrance to Fatehpur Sikri is through the 175 feet Buland Darwaza, the highest
gateway in the world. It was built by Akbar to commemorate his victory over
Khandesh in Gujarat.
The Panch Mahal ia a five-storeyed tower, the highest point in Fatehpur Sikri.
This extremely airy tower is supposed to have been used by one of the emperor's
many queens.
Jahangir's
Palace.........
Akbar is belived to have built
this palace, the largest private residence in the fort, for his son. This was
one of the first constructions demonstrating the fort's changing emphasis from
millitary to luxurious living quarters. The palace is also interesting for its
blend to hindu and central Asian architectural styles - a contrast to the unique
Moghul style which had developed by the time of Shah Jahan.
Itimad-Ud-Daulah......
The tomb of Mirza Ghisas Beg. This Persian gentleman was Jehangir's wazir, or Chief Minister and his beautiful daughter later married the emperor. The tomb was constructed By Nur Jahan, the Light Of the world, between 1622 and 1628 and is very similar to the Tomb she constructed for her husband, Jehangir near Lahore in Pakistan.The Itimad-ud-Daulah is open from sunrise to sunset.
Jama
Masjid........
Across the railway tracks from the Delhi Gate of Agra Fort the Jami Masjid was
built by Shah Jahan in 1648. An inscription over the main gate indicates that it
was built in the name of Jahanara, Shah Jahan's daughter who was imprisoned with
Shah Jahan by Aurangzeb
Ram
Bagh........
Laid out in 1528 by Babur the first of the Mughal emperors this is the earliest
Mughal garden. It is said that Babur was temporarily buried here before being
permanently interred at Kabul in Afaganisthan. The Ram Baug is 2 to 3 km further
north of the Chini Ka rauza on the riverside and is open from sunrise to sunset.
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